'Life is a Suicide Mission' Summary

Instructed by Jane that the person who can influence Hikari is a man named Malu, Peter and Wang-mu try to make contact with Malu directly on an island called Atatua on the Samoan colony planet of Pacifica. Initially they are given the run around. While it is obvious that the native Samoan boat operators know Malu, they feign ignorance and suggest the travelers ask elsewhere. Jane interposes, telling them that Hikari did not actually send a message directly to Malu but rather to a woman named Grace who then went to see Malu. Jane had been trying to save them some extra trouble by sending them directly to the source. As it turns out, Wang-mu is already acquainted with Grace from her own reading. Grace is a philosopher who writes under the name Grace Drinker. They resolve to meet...